At a gallery opening years ago in Santa Cruz fate intervened and collided me with one of my favorite minds. Athena and I knew from the second we met that we’d affect each other. Over the years, we have cultivated a beautiful friendship that has fostered my career as an artist and fed me with enlivened discussions about consciousness and awareness.
This friendship became a collaboration too as we both share a passion for exploring how the creative process unfolds from ideas in the void to the materiality that becomes the work we share and leave behind.
NUMU’s series, In The Artist’s Studio is about bringing the magic of the process of creation out into the open, bridging the worlds of the sometimes secluded “studio practice” and the public perception of finished artwork.
As an artist and educator, this mission is deeply important to me, as I am passionate about using my creative knowledge and ability to empower others to find more play, reflection and connected awareness through intuitive abstract painting.
Luz and Athena
Luz’s Studio
Sharing about the creative process between artists often leads to unimaginable new frontiers for each maker. It is like feeding a fire. I believe openly speaking about how we develop practices that enable us to sustainably live the lives we want is a mirror to this experience. I hope that by creating a practice based on sharing about the ways that allow me to sustainably create, I can empower others to do the same and therefore build resilience in their own lives.
I asked Athena to share a bit about the role of a process structure in her work as a filmmaker. Here’s what she shared:
”As a storyteller and an artist, a structured creative process is integral to my work. It allows me to translate experiences and concepts into visual and sensory media that will evoke emotion and build empathy with the audience. The intuitive process of creation and being present to a story that wants to be told also allows space for unexpected synchronicity and layers of meaning to permeate the work.”
About Athena
Athena Gam is a filmmaker and video producer for live-action and animation. She is dedicated to creativity, collaboration and community, and to using the power of story to expand consciousness and shift the boundaries of standard Hollywood paradigms. Intentional Video
-Luz Donahue
